IVF in Greece – why choose Greece for IVF treatment?

Greece is a beautiful country offering breathtaking views and many interesting ancient archaeological sites. Apart from being a popular holiday destination, it has become one of the top countries for medical tourism in the past couple of years. An area of medicine that is rapidly developing is fertility treatment. Many people choose to have IVF in Greece because of the cheap prices, high standard of care and very short waiting times for treatment.

IVF treatment in one of the country’s 50 clinics is very affordable. Prices are comparable to those in Poland, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine. A single cycle of in vitro fertilization with own eggs costs around 3,000-3,500 EUR. For understandable reasons, egg donation is more expensive. In Greece you can have this type of treatment for approximately 5,000-6,000 EUR. Remember that you will also have to pay for travel, accommodation and food. Usually patients need to stay abroad for about 10 to 14 days for their treatment. In order to reduce costs choose a smart travel time. Summer is the most expensive time of the year to stay in Greece, so it is better to have treatment during Spring, Autumn or Winter.

Current legislation in terms of reproductive techniques in Greece was issued in 2005 by the Ministry of Health. It is one of the most liberal and patient friendly in Europe. All procedures including egg and sperm donation are available for women under 50 years of age and for all men, regardless their age. Single women are eligible for treatment, although the case for lesbian couples is more complicated. If one partner states that she is going through treatment as a single woman and signs a notarial deed, then she can undergo IVF. As in many other countries, egg and sperm donation is anonymous. One donor is allowed to have a maximum of 10 offspring. One of the downsides of having in vitro fertilization in Greece is the fact that PGD is allowed only in licensed centers and it is very limited. If you are looking for a trustworthy clinic offering IVF with PGD check out INVICTA Fertlity Clinics in Poland.

At the moment there is no separate regulatory body to control fertility clinics in Greece. It is the Greek Ministry of Health that controls and inspects all Greek IVF clinics. Inspections are carried out without notice to ensure that all standards are being met. To be sure that you are choosing a good clinic for IVF in Greece check if it has ISO accreditation and certificate. Success rates for in vitro in Greece are not required to be submitted anywhere, so there is no verification of these results. However, some Greek IVF clinics submit their results to ESHRE and take part in an annual survey carried out by the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.

Greece is a very popular destination for IVF because quality of treatment is high, prices are low and the legal framework for assisted reproduction techniques is fairly liberal. Most doctors are experienced and fluent in English, making communication easy. Another important asset of in vitro fertilization in Greece is the fact that there are virtually no waiting lists for treatment. This is great news especially for older women, since fertility has been proven to decrease with age. If you feel like IVF Greece is a good choice for you – don’t be afraid, travelling for treatment is not as scary as you might think!